Refrigerator appliances generally include a cabinet that defines a chilled chamber for receipt of food articles for storage. The refrigerator appliances can also include a dispenser mounted to a single door for directing ice from the refrigerator's ice maker and/or liquid water to the dispenser. A user can activate the dispenser to direct a flow of ice or liquid water into a cup or other container positioned below the dispenser. Liquid water directed to the dispenser is generally chilled or at an ambient temperature. Further refrigerator appliances can also include features for dispensing heated liquid water. The heated liquid water can be used to make certain beverages, such as coffee or tea. Refrigerators equipped to dispense heated liquid water can assist with making such beverages. Further, in some cases, refrigerator appliances may be equipped to provide single serving beverages using single serving dispensers and heated liquid water.
However, challenges exist with typical refrigerator appliances. As an example, the area for a dispenser is generally limited. Specifically, the area to receive cups or containers below the dispenser is often limited to a small sub-portion of a single door. Moreover, the ability of the dispenser to provide or dispense various fluids or products is further limited by the designated area. As an example, it can be difficult to provide elements for dispensing multiple products (e.g., ice, water, etc.) within a limited area of a single door. Although certain elements, may be spaced away from the dispenser to be directed thereto later (e.g., as instructed by a user), such features will generally complicate assembly and use of the appliance. Moreover, such configurations may delay the delivery of desired fluids and/or products.
Depending on the location of the dispenser, difficulties may also arise in delivering products of vastly different temperatures. For instance, in the case of a side-by-side refrigerator appliance, a dispenser is often provided on a freezer door selectively covering the freezer compartment. However, if heated water or fluids are desired, an appliance may have difficulty preventing large temperature variations within the freezer compartment. Similarly, the dispenser is provided on a refrigerator door selectively covering the fresh food compartment, an appliance may have difficulty preventing large temperature variations within the fresh food compartment during the storage and delivery of ice or chilled water.
Accordingly, improved refrigerator appliances are desired in the art. In particular, refrigerator appliances that provide improved dispensing assemblies for the delivery of one or more products would be advantageous.